Restoration and consolidation of the belfry and tower of the old chapel of San Vicente in Colmenar del Arroyo, Madrid

Before the restoration work, the monument suffered numerous damage that deteriorated its appearance and threatened imminent collapse. The work not only required urgent intervention but also required a documentary study to allow for research and appreciation of the original historical complex. The original church had many disjointed elements, and some of its parts were disjointed, fallen, and hidden by more modern constructions.

The most serious problems arose from the instability of some masonry sections of the tower walls and the crown of the bell gable, which presented significant cracks and collapses, causing landslides and small collapses that compromised the integrity of the monument.

Furthermore, the overall appearance of the church was greatly distorted by the construction carried out on the walls of the old sacristy in the mid-20th century. The two arches that provided access to the church naves were closed, and a concrete fill had been placed on the floor of the original church.

Consequently, a project was planned with three objectives: the consolidation and clearing of the historic structures, the archaeological survey of the soil and historic walls, and the revaluation of the historic and monumental complex.

During the intervention, stability problems were resolved and the most damaged areas were consolidated by restoring the lime mortar in the joints and restoring the most eroded masonry pieces.

Furthermore, archaeological surveys shed new light on the structure of the early church, revealing the original ceramic tile floor, which had been hidden by a thick layer of fill and concrete. It was possible to verify that the oldest walls in the cemetery enclosure belonged to that church, confirming the hypothesis that the church extended westward from the old sacristy.

Finally, the hidden arches were discovered and the existing roof over the sacristy was replaced with a more appropriate one in accordance with the historical traces discovered in terms of height and original inclinations, thus obtaining a more appropriate space for contemplating the exposed historical remains and revaluing the entire complex.


Project and construction management assistance in collaboration with architect David Sánchez Bellido, who is the project's signature artist.
Architects Rocío Maira and Estefanía Herrero collaborated in drafting the project and assisted with construction work.
Technical Architect: Raúl Salazar
LORQUIMUR Construction Company, Mª Fernanda Pastor Caballero. Site Manager
Pedro Navarro Belmonte. technical director
Technical Supervision. Community of Madrid: Concha Alcalde. Architect
Carmen Anegón. Technical Architect. Roberto Carmona. Archaeologist

Year: 2012